Pixelated Luminescent Rods for High Intensity Lighting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lighting devices face challenges in achieving high light concentration and efficient cooling while minimizing cross-talk and heat sinking issues, especially when multiple luminescent rods are arranged in close proximity.

Innovation Solution

A pixelated luminescent rod configuration is proposed, where multiple rods are positioned in a tapered arrangement, each pumped by a separate LED array and enclosed by a heat sink, allowing for pixelated light distribution and avoiding cross-talks, with heat sinks arranged between the rods to facilitate efficient cooling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If multiple luminescent rods are arranged in close proximity to increase light concentration, then the light output intensity is improved, but heat sinking becomes difficult and cross-talk between rods increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight output intensityVSAvoidheat sinking difficulty
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting device is divided into multiple independent luminescent elements (rods), each with its own LED array and heat sink. This segmentation allows each rod to be cooled independently while maintaining close proximity for high light concentration, resolving the conflict between intensity and heat management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The heat sink is integrated within the housing structure that contains the luminescent rods, with each rod nested within its own thermal management zone. This nested arrangement allows efficient heat sinking while maintaining compact spacing between rods for high light output intensity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Illumination intensity

If multiple luminescent rods are arranged in close proximity to increase light concentration, then the light output intensity is improved, but cross-talk between rods increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight output intensityVSAvoidcross-talk between rods
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Each luminescent rod is treated as an independent optical element with separate LED pumping and light extraction paths. This segmentation prevents optical cross-talk between adjacent rods while maintaining close spacing for high overall light concentration and intensity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The harmful optical cross-talk is extracted and eliminated by providing separate optical paths and independent light extraction surfaces for each rod, allowing close proximity arrangement without interference between adjacent luminescent elements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Area of stationary object

If luminescent rods are arranged in a matrix configuration to increase emitting surface area, then the light distribution is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemitting surface areaVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each luminescent rod is designed as a universal module that can be arranged in various configurations (including matrix arrangements) to achieve different emitting surface areas. The standardized modular design reduces device complexity while enabling flexible scaling of the emitting surface.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The emitting surface area is optimized by adjusting parameters such as rod dimensions, spacing, and arrangement configuration rather than fundamentally changing the device architecture. This parameter-based optimization achieves large emitting surfaces while maintaining manageable device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Illumination intensity

If the luminescent rod length is increased to pump more blue LED's and increase green light brightness, then the light concentration is improved, but the device volume increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegreen light brightnessVSAvoiddevice volume
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of increasing rod length in one dimension, the solution uses multiple shorter rods arranged in a matrix configuration. This dimensional transition from linear to areal arrangement achieves high green light brightness through increased total luminescent material volume while maintaining compact device footprint.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The single long rod is segmented into multiple shorter rods arranged in a matrix. This segmentation allows parallel pumping with multiple LED arrays, achieving high overall brightness while keeping each individual rod compact and the total device volume manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration achieves high intensity light output with a large emitting surface, efficient cooling, and effective arrangement of light sources, while maintaining a compact design by optimizing the spacing and orientation of luminescent elements.

Implementation Method 1

Under e.g. blue light radiation, the blue light excites the phosphor, after the phosphor start to emit green light in all directions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotoluminescence: Photoluminescence

Implementation Method 2

Since the phosphor is embedded in - in general - a high refractive index bar, a main part of the converted (green) light is trapped into the high refractive index bar and wave guided to the nose of the bar

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTotal internal reflection: Total Internal Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP3655698B1Pixelated high brightness light engine
Publication Date: 2022.09.21 SIGNIFY HOLDING BV
  • EP3655698B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3655698B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3655698B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

The invention provides a lighting device (1) comprising (i) a plurality of sets (310) of each one or more light sources (10) configured to provide light source light (11), and (ii) a plurality of luminescent elements (5), each luminescent element (5) comprising an elongated luminescent body (100) having a radiation input face (111) for receipt of the light source light (11), each luminescent element (5) comprising a luminescent material (120) for conversion of at least part of the light source light (11) into luminescent material light (8), and each luminescent element (5) have an luminescent element exit window (12) for the luminescent material light (8); wherein the luminescent elements (5) are configured in a configuration wherein an average distance (d1) between neighboring luminescent bodies (100) is larger than a shortest luminescent element exit window distance (d2) between the neighboring luminescent element exit windows (12), thereby defining an interspace (320) between the neighboring luminescent bodies (100).